Poem: Guardian of My Galaxy by Linette Rabsatt

Original poem, "Guardian of My Galaxy" written by Linette Rabsatt paying homage to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. 

BVI Book Highlight: "The Adventures of Silver Spoon: The Fruits of the Spirit" by Delores Jones

 

Do you know the 'Fruits of the Spirit' listed in the Bible? Mrs. Delores Jones expounds on these fruits in her recently published children's book, "The Adventures of Silver Spoon: The Fruits of the Spirit." In Galatians 5:22-23, we read "By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Mrs. Jones used the main character, Silver Spoon, to depict how the nine 'fruits' apply to daily life. She shared that her inspiration came as she envisioned spoons being alive. 

Mrs. Jones not only wrote but also illustrated the book. Her main character, Silver Spoon, is a silver spoon who faces situations that we encounter daily. In the book, we meet his family, Daddy and Mommy Spoon, Grandpa, Grandma, and sister, Katy. His friends include Woody, Bronze, Plastic Spoon, and Chrome Spoon.

Each chapter highlights one of the 'Fruits of the Spirit.' In the chapter on Kindness, the author refers to Ephesians 4:32, "and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you." Silver Spoon visited a neighbor with his father and gave her flowers to brighten her day.

In the chapter on Patience, the author highlights Pslams 40:1, "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry." Silver Spoon sees his friend run across the road before a driver stopped to allow crossing. While Silver Spoon wanted to run across the street, he remembered what he learned about patience in Sunday School. Instead, he waited to cross. This chapter not only highlights a 'fruit of the spirit' but also encourages road safety.

"The Adventures of Silver Spoon: The Fruits of the Spirit" is ideal for young readers. The author shares biblical teaching with relatable scenarios and colorful illustrations. Children will enjoy the characters and their stories while learning more about being responsible, respectful, and strong.

Happy 2021! First Blog Post

What can I say about 2020? I have had my share of triumphs and dilemmas in this historical end of the second decade of the 2000s. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and the American election, the world remained glued to all forms of media. President Donald Trump overwhelmingly lost the United States Presidential Election and, of course, refused to concede. COVID-19 cases have overtaken the world, and economies are stressed, our children learn online, and many people are out of work. The year 2020 has closed, and President Trump is still in denial, and COVID-19 remains a topic of focus. With COVID-19 vaccines already being administered, people are debating whether they would take them.

I wrote and posted the above image on December 31, 2020, because despite the pandemic and the global stresses, we continued to waste time, bullied others, and shared things that we should have been ashamed of with the world. We also didn't take the opportunity to engage our imagination and just copied everyone else. We continued to be overly critical and hurtful to others. I will not expound on the various instances that fuelled that post. However, I have tried to stay off that behavior, but I know I have to work on myself. I've been short-tempered, impatient, grumpy, and inflexible.

I don't subscribe to resolutions when a year turns; instead, I aim to improve myself daily. I will still be agitated and impatient because that's me. I can continue to work around issues and speak up when I am frustrated. I can suggest solutions to situations and be willing to throw a hand in solving the problem. 

I want to continue entrepreneurial pursuits, increase the yield in my garden, add more content to my blog, and improve my wellbeing. I want to be me. I want to continue dancing, singing, and enjoying nature. 

I think there's a lot that we need to change and appreciate as a people; however, I don't think we are ready for it. I've written about the culture and traditions because these topics have been on my mind. We need to re-examine what we see as tradition and accept that culture evolves. We have lost ourselves trying to hold on to traditions and have forgotten about the youth and their sub-culture.

I wish everyone the best for 2021. Don't expect that this year will be perfect - especially if we are not doing what we are supposed to do concerning COVID-19 protocols and being our brothers' keepers'.